This double-disc set documents Return to Forever's unplugged tour of 2009. Its 19 tracks consist mainly of rearranged RTF tunes and jazz standards for piano trio, though there are wonderful surprises on disc two. Disc one is taken directly from concert appearances across the globe. The standards work well -- considering how busy Chick Corea, Stanley Clarke, and Lenny White can be together as well as solo. "On Green Dolphin Street," "Waltz for Debby," and "Hackensack" all swing, though they do feature moments of RTF's requisite knotty counterpoint. Originals include Clarke's new tune, the beautiful "La Canción de Sophia," as well as "Bud Powell" and "Windows" from two Corea solo recordings, and "Señor Mouse" and "No Mystery," both RTF tunes, round it out. The small complaint is that these three play so stridently and "perfectly" that they sound more like a studio band instead of a quick-thinking live unit. Everything is exceptionally played and recorded. The gems are saved for disc two, which consists mainly of rehearsals for the tour recorded at Mad Hatter Studios in San Francisco, complete with off-mike banter. Corea dons his Rhodes and other keyboards for an excellent version of "Captain Marvel" and a fully fused-out “Señor Mouse,” “Space Circus,” and “After the Rain,” all with original RTF guitarist Bill Connors playing his ass off with his former and future bandmates (Frank Gambale will assume guitar duties on tour). Violinist Jean-Luc Ponty will also join the new band formally in 2012, and he begins in that role here, appearing on "Armando's Rhumba" (he played on the original off Corea's My Spanish Heart LP), his own "Renaissance," a fine rendition of "I Loves You, Porgy" (one of two tunes with Chaka Khan on vocals), "After the Cosmic Rain," and "Space Circus." The other two surprises on disc two are a very soulful duet between Corea (on acoustic piano) and White on John Coltrane's "Crescent" and a stellar acoustic trio version of RTF's standard "500 Miles High," which was recorded at the Monterey Jazz Festival and contains plenty of fire. With its looseness, this second disc offers the real dynamic potential for RTF in the future and reveals the depth of near symbiotic communication between the bandmembers.
-> This comment is posted on Allmusic by Thom Jurek, follower of our blog 'O Púbis da Rosa' <-
Tracklist 1 :
1. On Green Dolphin Street 8:41
Kaper / Washington
2. Waltz for Debby 9:55
Bill Evans
3. Bud Powell 7:10
Chick Corea
4. La Canción de Sofia 7:38
Stanley Clarke
5. Windows 8:54
Chick Corea
6. Hackensack 7:30
Thelonious Monk
7. No Mystery 10:55
Chick Corea
8. Señor Mouse 12:06
Chick Corea
Tracklist 2 :
1. Captain Marvel 4:13
Chick Corea
2. Señor Mouse 12:06
Chick Corea
3. Crescent 1:45
John Coltrane
4. Armando's Rhumba 5:12
Chick Corea
5. Renaissance 5:29
Jean-Luc Ponty
6. High Wire--The Aerialist 3:41
Chick Corea
7. I Loves You Porgy 5:13
George Gershwin / DuBose Heyward
8. After the Cosmic Rain 10:38
Stanley Clarke
9. Space Circus 6:06
Chick Corea
10. 500 Miles High 12:45
Chick Corea
Credits :
Chick Corea - Piano (CD1, CD2#3-7, CD2#10) Keyboards (CD2#1-2, CD2#8-9)
Stanley Clarke - Acoustic Bass (CD1, CD2#1, CD2#4-7, CD2#10), Electric Bass (CD2#2, CD2#8-9)
Lenny White - Drums (CD1, CD2#1-3, CDF2#5-10)
Bill Connors - Guitar (CD2#2, CD2#7-9)
Jean-Luc Ponty - Violin (CD2#4-5, CD2#7-9)
Chaka Khan - Vocals (CD2#6-7)
4.5.25
COREA, CLARKE & WHITE — Forever (2011) 2CD | FLAC (tracks+.cue), lossless
22.5.24
BILL CONNORS — Theme To The Gaurdian (1975) APE (tracks+.cue) lossless
The blazingly explosive and technically precise legato guitarist in Return to Forever left after one release with RTF to pursue a solo career and much quieter, acoustic guitar path. This is the first in a trio of acoustic guitar releases Bill Connors put out in the 1970s on the famous ECM label. Theme to the Gaurdian features some truly excellent acoustic guitar work, with some unique compositions and playing styles. Connors dubs one track as a sort of complex and exotic chordal progression-based structure of strummed rhythms and/or a tapestry of three-finger rolling. He solos over this landscape of dreamy, moody, surreal, and frenetic design. The effect is a ghostly dance of melancholy angst and passionate wailings. John W. Patterson
Tracklist :
1 Theme To The Gaurdian 5:15
Bill Connors
2 Childs Eyes 4:22
Bill Connors
3 Song For A Crow 4:12
Bill Connors
4 Sad Hero 4:26
Bill Connors
5 Sea Song 5:02
Glenn Cronkhite
6 Frantic Desire 2:52
Bill Connors
7 Folk Song 6:33
Bill Connors
8 My Favorite Fantasy 4:23
Bill Connors
9 The Highest Mountain 3:25
Bill Connors
Credits :
Guitar – Bill Connors
27.3.23
GIUFFRE | KONITZ | CONNORS | BLEY - IAI Festival (1978-1992) FLAC (tracks+.cue), lossless
Although four musicians are listed for this date (Jimmy Giuffre, altoist Lee Konitz, guitarist Bill Connors and pianist Paul Bley), these five performances are actually a set of duets featuring Giuffre on tenor, clarinet, bass flute and soprano interacting with the other players. Three songs are duets with Konitz (there is also one apiece with Bley and Connors), including "Blues In the Closet," and these are the main reasons to acquire this disc. The CD reissue is an exact duplicate of the original LP, with just 37 minutes of music, but it is definitely worth hearing. This was the final release by Bley's Improvising Artists label. Scott Yanow
Tracklist :
1 Blues In The Closet 5:10
Alto Saxophone – Konitz
Tenor Saxophone – Giuffre
Written-By – Oscar Pettiford
2 The Sad Time 3:10
Written-By, Alto Saxophone – Konitz
Written-By, Bass Flute – Giuffre
3 Spanish Flames 8:50
Written-By, Clarinet – Giuffre
Written-By, Guitar – Connors
4 Enter, Ivory 11:10
Written-By, Piano – Bley
Written-By, Soprano Saxophone, Flute – Giuffre
5 From Then To Then 5:50
Written-By, Alto Saxophone – Konitz
Written-By, Tenor Saxophone – Giuffre
13.3.23
LEE KONITZ | PAUL BLEY | BILL CONNORS - Pyramid (1977-1992) FLAC (tracks), lossless
Reissued on CD by the Black Saint/Soul Note labels, this entry from Paul Bley's IAI label features fairly free playing from an unusual trio comprised of Lee Konitz (on alto and soprano), keyboardist Bley and Bill Connors on electric and acoustic guitars. Actually, due to the free nature of the pieces, the music is less exciting than one might hope. Everyone takes chances in their solos but several of the pieces wander on much too long. Overall this session does not reach the heights one might expect from these great players. Scott Yanow
Tracklist :
1 Pyramid 4:05
Bill Connors
2 Out There 10:45
Stefano Bollani / Lee Konitz
3 Talk to Me 2:47
Bill Connors
4 Tavia 4:32
Lee Konitz
5 Longer Than You Know 4:13
Paul Bley
6 Play Blue 9:22
Paul Bley
Credits :
Acoustic Guitar – Bill Connors (tracks: 1, 2, 4)
Alto Saxophone – Lee Konitz (tracks: 1 to 3, 5)
Electric Guitar – Bill Connors (tracks: 3, 5, 6)
Electric Piano – Paul Bley (tracks: 1, 2, 5)
Piano [Acoustic] – Paul Bley (tracks: 1 to 3, 5, 6)
Soprano Saxophone – Lee Konitz (tracks: 2, 4, 6)
8.6.20
BILL CONNORS — Of Mist and Melting (1977) APE (image+.cue), lossless

Tracklist :
1 Melting 11:31
Bill Connors
2 Not Forgetting 6:30
Bill Connors
3 Face In The Water 3:25
Bill Connors
4 Aubade 9:36
Bill Connors
5 Café Vue 5:37
Bill Connors
6 Unending 7:33
Bill Connors
Credits:
Bass – Gary Peacock
Composed By – Bill Connors
Drums – Jack DeJohnette
Guitar – Bill Connors
Saxophone – Jan Garbarek

2.3.20
STANLEY CLARKE - Stanley Clarke (1971-2007) RM / FLAC (image+.cue), lossless
29.2.20
BILL CONNORS — Double Up (1986-1994) FLAC (image+.cue), lossless
9.10.19
BILL CONNORS — Assembler (1987-1994) RM | FLAC (tracks+.cue), lossless
Tracklist :
1 Crunchy 3:29
Bill Connors
2 Sea Coy 5:39
Bill Connors
3 Get It to Go 5:10
Bill Connors
4 Assembler 5:07
Bill Connors
5 Add Eleven 6:12
Bill Connors
6 Tell It to the Boss 7:02
Bill Connors
7 It Be FM 5:39
Bill Connors
Credits:
16.4.17
BILL CONNORS — Step It (1984-1994) FLAC (image+.cue), lossless
+ last month
COREA, CLARKE & WHITE — Forever (2011) 2CD | FLAC (tracks+.cue), lossless
This double-disc set documents Return to Forever's unplugged tour of 2009. Its 19 tracks consist mainly of rearranged RTF tunes and jazz...
